SPAROID FISHES OF AMERICA AND EUROPE. 427 



Subfamily V. — Denticin.e. 



(Sparidw with canines in one or both jaws and with no incisors nor 

 molars nor teeth on the vomer.) 



Body oblong; jaws with conical teeth only, some of them, at least in upper jaw, 

 enlarged and canine-like ; no teeth ou vomer, palatines, or tongue ; upper jaw moder- 

 ately protractile; dorsal continuous, its soft rays naked; intestine short, with few 

 pyloric cceca ; preopercle entire; preorbital broad, (ienera fi or 7; species numerous, 

 chielly of the seas of th(^ Old World, the group apparently forming a transition 

 from the Liitjauina; to the Sparinw. 



a. Dorsal spines 11 or 12 (rarely 10), scales rather small, those ou cheek in more 

 than 3 rows; those in lateral line about 60; mouth large, the lower 

 jaw projecting [Dentex, 20.] 



aa. Dorsal spines 10; scales rather large, those on cheek usually in 3 rows; those 

 in the lateral line about 50; mouth moderate, the jaw subequal, 

 dorsal or caudal fins often filamentous Nemipterus, 21. 



Subfamily VI. — Sparinae. 

 (Sparlda' with the anterior teeth conical or incisor-like, the lateral teeth molar.) 



Body oblong or elevated, with rather large scales; mnutli small, the premaxillary 

 little protractile; front of jaws with conical or incisor lilvc teeth, side of jaws with 

 two or more series of rounded molars; no teeth on vomer, p.'ilatiues, or tongue; 

 maxillary short, peculiar in form and in articulation; dorsal fin continuous; poste- 

 rior nostril laigest, and more or less oblong or slit-like. Intestinal canal short, with 

 few pyloric ca^ca. 



Siiore fishes of the tropical seas, especially abundant in the West Indies and in the 

 Mediterranean. 



a. Second interhaemal bone enlarged, hollowed anteriorly, or pen-shaped, receiving 

 the posterior end of the air bladder in its anterior groove; posterior 

 nostril slit-like; cheeks scaly. 

 b. Front teeth narrow, compressed, forming lanceolate incisors; the first spine- 

 bearing iuterneural with an antrorse spine ; temporal crest obsolete ; 

 lateral crest nowhere coalescing with the supraoccipital crest; 

 interorbital area fiattish, wath tAvo low ridges ; a small foramen in 

 each of these above front of pupil; interorbital area much con- 

 tracted anteriorly; a strongly projecting prefrontal process which 



makes an acute angle with the supraorbital Stenotomus, 22. 



hh. Front teeth conical or canino-lilve; first spine-bearing iuterneural without 

 antrorse spine; temporal crest very thin and high, joining the 

 Lateral crest which forms part of the margin of orbit above middle 

 of eye, both crests coalescing with the sujiraoccipital in the cavern- 

 ous anterior part of the interorbital area ; interorbital area some- 

 what contracted anteriorly ; prefrontal process very strong, making 

 an obtuse angle with the supraorbital; this process forming a con- 

 spicuous knob above the long posterior nostril Calamus, 23. 



aa. Second iuterhicmal spine normal, not " pen-sliaped; " cheeks scaly. 



c. Front teeth conic, not compressed; no incisors; occipital crest coalescent 

 with the temporal crests; no antrorse spine on first interneural; 

 dorsal spines usually 11 to 13. 

 d. Anterior teetli in both jaws strong, decidedly canine-like; body more or 



less deep and compressed Sparus, 24. 



dd. Anterior teeth in both jaws cardiform and not canine-like; body oblong 

 or elongate [Pagellus, 25.] 



